“No!” she yells. I quickly raise both my hands in the air. “No, no, please, don’t.” I notice her eyes are still closed, but she’s shaking. She’s having a bad dream. “Josh, please, I can’t bear to lose you.” I gently shake her to wake her up. She turns to me, eyes wide open. Tears are streaming down her face, and she quickly wipes them away with the sleeve of her bathrobe.
“Nightmare?” I ask quietly. She nods and stands up. “How are you feeling? Well enough to eat some soup? It’ll be good for your stomach,” I assure her. She nods and heads to the bathroom, while I go to the kitchen and warm the soup. She’s gone for several minutes, and when she returns, the soup is already hot. I open a few cabinets, searching for bowls. I find them and take two, fill them up with soup, and put them on the table. I’m starving, but I have to take care of her first.
“Thank you,” I hear her gentle voice from behind me, and I turn. Ella is fidgeting with the belt of her robe, and our eyes meet. Damn, she’s so beautiful. She’s watching me with her sad, tired eyes.
Who hurt her? Was it Josh? The man whose name she said in her dreams? If it were any other woman, I would have fled a long time ago. I never liked to be around girls who are sick. They usually complain too much, even if they have something as trivial as a cold, and I don’t feel like listening to their whining. But not Ella. I can’t seem to leave her side. She takes two spoons out of the drawer, and hands one to me. We sit down and eat in silence. Ella then takes the bowls to the sink, and starts to wash them. I step behind her, put my hands on her shoulders, and turn her away from the sink. I take the sponge and the bowl out of her hands. She looks up at me. Our lips are dangerously close, and I can feel her warm breath against my cheek.
“Go lie down. I can handle this,” I say firmly. She nods and goes to bed without objecting.
Ella
I hear a soft knock on my door before it opens. Jake’s smiling face pokes into the room. I can’t believe the famous Jake Burns is in my apartment, and as sexy as ever. He’s wearing military-style pants, and a black shirt with long sleeves. Silver dog tags are hanging around his neck. He looks like he just stepped out of some fashion magazine.
“Everything’s clean,” he winks at me. “Can I get you anything?” he asks, and runs his hand through his hair. Biting my lower lip, I shake my head no. “How are you feeling?” He sits on the edge of my bed. Goose bumps spread all over my body. No man has been in my bedroom since Josh. I’m also grateful he cleaned my kitchen for me.
“Much better, thank you. I guess your healing soup did wonders.” His signature wide grin splits his face again.
“Happy to help.”
A few moments of uncomfortable silence follow. I sit up in bed, pull the covers across my chest, and prop my head on a pillow.
“I’m going to go now and let you rest,” he finally says, and puts his hands in his pockets.
“Okay,” is all I say.
“Okay,” he nods. “I’ll call you tonight.” I smile at him, grateful, and thank him again. I take a deep breath as he leaves and lie back down. A warm feeling spreads over my body at the thought of Jake taking care of me. I doubt he is so caring for all the girls. Yes, Jake Burns is slowly creeping into my heart.
“How are you?” Sophie asks, as we’re sitting in my kitchen. She’s drinking tea, and I’m eating the soup Jake brought over earlier. I’m feeling much better, I haven’t thrown up anymore. My appetite is slowly returning, which is a good sign.
“Better,” I say. I finally gathered enough strength to take a shower, and wash my sweaty hair.
“When do you start working?” she asks. I shovel a spoonful of soup in my mouth.
“Tomorrow. I’m feeling much better already. More tea?” I ask as I get up, and put the bowl into the sink.
“No time. Matt is taking me to dinner at his parents’ house. Will you be okay on your own?” she asks, concerned.
“Of course, silly. I’m totally okay,” I smile at her and give her a hug. Sophie is just putting on her coat when I hear the intercom buzz. We look at each other, and I shrug at her silent question. “Hello?” I answer the intercom. It’s strange—who would visit me at night, other than Sophie, and she is standing beside me?
“Delivery for Miss Vaughn,” a booming male voice responds. I press the button to let him into the building.
“Who was that?”
I shrug. “Delivery. But I haven’t ordered anything.”
“Delivery? That late?”